ST. GEORGE, Utah – Illinois State sophomore Ali Schrock is tied for third individually, while the Redbirds are in fourth place as a team after the first two rounds at the 2021 Pizza Hut Lady Thunderbird Invitational, hosted by Southern Utah University.
The Redbirds ended the day with rounds of 307 and 298 – one of just three schools to record a sub-300 team score in the afternoon round at the Sunbrook Golf Course – as the squad is two strokes ahead of fifth-place Weber State. South Dakota State has a commanding lead on the field with a two-round 578, while Oral Roberts (600), Cal Baptist (602) are just ahead of ISU's 605. Weber State (607), Southern Utah (611), Seattle (614), Wyoming (614), North Dakota State (615), Utah Valley (622), Idaho State (627), Montana (638), Eastern Washington (639), CSU-Bakersfield (649), and Dixie State (653) round out the 15 teams in the field.
Behind a one-under 71 over the first round, Schrock is tied for third individually with a two-round 146 (+2). Maria Toledo Bailey – playing as an individual – is tied for 12th in the field with rounds of 77 and 74, while Emma Sutton is tied for 20th with a two-round 153 (79-74). Avalon Woodward (82-73) and Emma Rouger (77-78) are each tied for 35th after two rounds, with Becca Black trying for 42nd with a 156 (80-76). Paige Seiser, also playing as an individual, carded rounds of 82 and 80 to tie for 65th in the field.
Starting on the fifth hole on the course, Schrock had a rough start with four pars and two bogeys to start her today before she caught fire over the next six holes. The sophomore had a birdie on the 11th hole, another birdie on the 12th, and after a par on the 13th hole she eagled on the par-four 14th hole. Another par followed, as did another birdie, as Schrock came out of that six-hole stretch three strokes under par after entering it at two strokes over par. She closed her opening round two strokes over par over her final six holes of the round, closing the first 18 holes a stroke under par. Her second round saw her record three more birdies along with nine pars to end the second round with a three-over 75.
Toledo Bailey – an incoming transfer from Southern Miss – opened her day with a balanced first round with one birdie and 12 pars, closing the opening 18 holes with a five-over 77. She bettered her score by three heading into the second 18 holes of the day and had a pair of birdies (on two different holes than her first-round birdie) and a dozen pars en route to her two-over 74.
Sutton, the team's top golfer at the Strutter Gus Invitational two weeks ago, opened her tournament with a seven-over 79 over the first 18 holes, as she had a birdie and 11 pars for her seven-over 79. She improved five strokes over the second 18 holes, as she had two birdies and 13 pars over the final half of her day, carding a two-over 74, and is tied for 20th heading into the final round.
Woodward, a freshman, had an up-and-down day, as she struggled over the first 18 holes with two birdies, and eight pars to finish the opening round with a 10-over 82. She bounced back in a big way, finishing a stroke over par, and after standing four shots over par through the first 12 holes she finished in a fury, recording three birdies and three pars over her final six holes to head into the clubhouse with a two-round 155, tied for 35th.
Also tying for 35th, sophomore Emma Rouger – an MVC Golfer of the Week earlier this season – took a more balanced approach to her 155 with rounds of 77 and 78. Her opening round saw her record a birdie and 11 pars for her five-over 77, as she had another birdie and a dozen pars to close her day with a six-over 78.
Senior Becca Black was the second Redbird this weekend to record an eagle on the opening 18 holes, as she put up a three on the par-five second hole, while adding a birdie and eight pars for an opening-round 80. She came back strong with two birdies and 13 pars to close her second 18 holes with a four-over 76, which puts her into a tie for 42nd with 18 holes to play in the tournament.
Seiser, one of two individuals for Illinois State this weekend, opened her tournament with a 10-over 82 on the first 18 holes as she had a pair of birdies and eight pars. She added 11 pars on her second 18 holes, as the senior went into the clubhouse with an eight-over 80 to close out her day.
The Redbirds tee off on Thursday at 9 a.m. CT, and will play in the lead group along with South Dakota State, Â Oral Roberts, and Cal Baptist.
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